%0 Research article
%T Biomass structure and allometry of Abies nephrolepis (Maxim) in Northeast China
%A Wang, Jinsong
%A Zhang, Chunyu
%A Xia, Fucai
%A Zhao, Xiuhai
%A Wu, Lianhai
%A Gadow, Klaus von
%D 2011
%J Silva Fennica
%V 45
%N 2
%R doi:10.14214/sf.113
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/113
%X Above- and below-ground tree biomass structure and allometric  relationships of Abies nephrolepis (Maxim) were assessed in an old  secondary forest dominated by A. nephrolepis, Pinus koraiensis, Quercus  mongolica, Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus mandshurica and Acer mono in  northeast China. Based on the breast-height diameter      (D), a total  of 21 sample trees were divided into three tree size classes: the small  trees (1  cm ≤ D < 10  cm), the medium trees (10  cm ≤ D < 20  cm)  and the big trees (D ≥ 20  cm). The greatest amount of live branch  biomass was located in the middle and bottom layers of the crown, while  the largest foliage biomass was found in the middle layer in each tree  size category. The relative contribution of canopy biomass components  (live branches and foliage) decreased with increasing tree size, while  that of coarse root biomass remained almost constant. The relationship  between above- and belowground biomass was linear. D and tree height (H)  decreased with increasing competition intensity. The small trees had  lower average crown ratio and higher average height-to-diameter ratio  than those of the medium and big trees. The big trees had higher average  stem to foliage mass ratio than those of the small and medium trees.  Crown ratio, height-to-diameter ratio and stem to foliage mass ratio  were not correlated with competition intensity in the same tree size  class. Root to shoot mass ratio was almost constant among tree sizes.  Allometric equations based on D gave higher correlations compared to  those with other stem diameters: at tree base, at 30-cm height and at  crown base.